APA Reference: Henderson, A. T., & Mapp, K. L. (2002). A new wave of evidence: The impact of school, family, and community connections on student achievement. Southwest Educational Development Laboratory.

more likely to succeed in school (Henderson & Mapp, 2002).

Developmentally Appropriate Classroom or home Activities to Support Phonemic Awareness! Find links below in th padlet.

Activity 1: Phoneme Dance

• Description:
  In this activity, students engage in a movement-based game where they act out the sounds of different letters or phonemes. For example, when the teacher says "b," students might pretend to bounce a ball, or for the sound of "s," they might "slither" like a snake. The teacher says a phoneme, and students perform the corresponding movement, reinforcing the sound with their body.

• Differentiation for Students with Exceptionalities:

  • For students with auditory processing difficulties: Provide visual cues for each movement (e.g., pictures or hand signals), and give them extra time to process the phoneme before responding with the movement.

  • For students with mobility challenges: Offer seated movements or alternative gestures that allow students to participate without needing to stand up.

  • For students with developmental delays or autism: Use consistent and repetitive movements that help reinforce the sounds and offer sensory-friendly alternatives for engaging with the activity, like using soft music or dimmed lights.

Activity 2: Phoneme Dominoes

• Description:
  Phoneme Dominoes is a matching game where students connect domino pieces with different phonemes (sounds) on them. Each piece has a picture and a corresponding phoneme sound (e.g., an image of a dog for "d"). Students must match the phoneme on one domino with a matching phoneme on another domino, either through sound or the image associated with the sound. This helps students link phonemic sounds with visual representations and enhances recognition.

• Differentiation for Students with Exceptionalities:

  • For students with language delays or difficulties in decoding: Use a reduced set of dominoes with only a few phonemes to make the game more manageable. Additionally, allow students to match phonemes with images, focusing on visual clues.

  • For students with ADHD or focus challenges: Offer shorter rounds of the game with fewer pieces and frequent breaks, ensuring that they remain engaged and not overwhelmed.

  • For students with non-verbal autism: Allow for communication through gestures or devices to participate in the game, ensuring they can engage through alternative methods.

APA Reference: Henderson, A. T., & Mapp, K. L. (2002). A new wave of evidence: The impact of school, family, and community connections on student achievement. Southwest Educational Development Laboratory.

There are 26 letters in the English alphabet that make up 44 speech sounds, or phonemes. Listen here to the 44 phonemes!

APA Reference: National Reading Panel. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel: Teaching children to read. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

3. 2 Activities that Can Be Done at Home and in the Classroom with Differentiation:

Activity 1: Phonics Scavenger Hunt

• Description:
  Create a list of letters or sounds for students to find around the house or classroom. For example, find something that starts with the letter "b" (e.g., ball, book). Students can check off each item as they identify it, helping to reinforce letter-sound connections.

• Differentiation:

  • For advanced learners: Ask students to identify blends or digraphs (e.g., "sh," "ch," "st").

  • For struggling learners: Provide pictures or word cards with the targeted letter or sound to help them focus on the visual representation.

Activity 2: Phonics Flashcard Race

• Description:
  Use flashcards with letters or simple CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words. Hold up a card, and have students say the sound or word as quickly as possible. Turn it into a race to make it exciting and challenge them to beat their previous time.

• Differentiation:

  • For advanced learners: Include longer words or sight words to challenge them further.

  • For struggling learners: Focus on single-letter sounds and give them extra time to respond, ensuring they don’t feel rushed.

Reading fluency is the ability to read smoothly and quickly, with expression and understanding. When parents support their child at home with fluency-building activities, it not only strengthens reading skills but also boosts comprehension, helping students become more confident and motivated readers. According to the National Reading Panel (2000), "Fluency provides a bridge between word recognition and comprehension, facilitating students' ability to focus on meaning rather than decoding each word."

APA Reference: National Reading Panel. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel: Teaching children to read. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

3. 2 Activities that Can Be Done at Home and in the Classroom with Differentiation:

Activity 1: Repeated Reading

• Description:
  Have students read a short, familiar passage multiple times, aiming to improve speed, accuracy, and expression each time. This can be done with a parent or in pairs, where the student reads aloud and then reflects on their improvement after each round.

• Differentiation:

  • For advanced learners: Use more challenging texts or have them practice reading with different expressions or emotions.

  • For struggling learners: Provide a shorter passage or offer additional modeling and support as they read aloud.

Activity 2: Echo Reading

• Description:
  In echo reading, the teacher or parent reads a sentence or short passage aloud, and the student repeats it exactly after them, mimicking the tone, expression, and rhythm. This helps build fluency through modeling.

• Differentiation:

  • For advanced learners: Increase the complexity of the sentences or passages.

  • For struggling learners: Use simpler sentences and offer extra time for the student to repeat after you, ensuring a supportive, low-pressure environment.

Building a child’s vocabulary can significantly contribute to their reading proficiency as they grow older. A strong vocabulary not only enhances a child’s ability to understand and interpret text but also fosters higher-order thinking skills (Beck et al., 2013).

One effective way teachers and parents alike can encourage vocabulary development is through self-narration. By narrating their actions, commenting on surroundings, and offering synonyms for common words, adults provide children with repeated exposure to a variety of terms. For example, when enjoying a treat, you might say, “This ice cream tastes good—actually, it’s delicious!” Or, when giving a compliment, try, “Your hair looks so pretty—no, it looks marvelous!” This practice enriches children’s language experiences and helps them understand subtle differences in word meanings.

Another activity that supports vocabulary growth, both at home and in the classroom, is interactive read-alouds. Choose stories that contain rich, age-appropriate vocabulary, and take time to highlight and explain key words as you read. Encourage children to repeat new words, describe their meanings, and even use gestures to demonstrate understanding. For instance, while reading a book about a trip to the zoo, you could pause to say, “The children went to the zoo to see the elephants. I wonder where the concession stand is.” Then, explain what a concession stand is and ask children if they’ve ever visited one. These interactions deepen comprehension, make connections to real-life experiences, and make the learning process more engaging and meaningful.

Why These Components Were Highlighted:
The National Reading Panel emphasized these five components because decades of research had shown that they form the foundation of effective reading instruction. Each component addresses a key aspect of the reading process: phonemic awareness helps children understand the sound structure of words, phonics provides the knowledge to connect those sounds to letters, vocabulary expands word knowledge and meaning, fluency ensures smooth and expressive reading, and comprehension allows readers to make sense of what they read. By focusing on these elements, educators can provide a balanced approach that supports all aspects of reading development.

APA Reference:
National Reading Panel. (2000). Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.